Osho Card Reading of the Day: RECEPTIVITY - Day 13 of 21

"Receptivity represents the feminine, receptive quality of water and of the emotions. Her arms are extended upwards to receive, and she is completely immersed in the water. She has no head, no busy and aggressive mind to hinder her pure receptivity. And as she is filled she is continuously emptying herself, overflowing, and receiving more. The lotus pattern or matrix that emerges from her represents the perfect harmony of the universe that becomes apparent when we are in tune with it.

The Queen of Water brings a time of unboundedness and gratitude for whatever life brings, without any expectations or demands. Neither duty or thought of merit or reward are important. Sensitivity, intuition and compassion are the qualities that shine forth now, dissolving all the obstacles that keep us separate from each other and from the whole."

The intention I held within me while pulling this card today was for support with the experience I have towards the words 'responsibility' and 'obligation'. I can describe the experience with the words 'rigid', 'stiff', 'difficult', 'burdened', 'pressure' and 'overwhelm'. 

In looking at these words, I find immense support in this card today, as the qualities of water are the polar opposite of the words I have been living in relation to responsibilities and obligations. The words I think of when I think of water are 'fluid' and 'flowing', and not just in the literal sense, and the card brings in the word 'receptivity'. 

When I look at my relationship to responsibilities and obligations, 'receptive' is the last thing I feel. The overriding sensation is that 'it is too much', and 'maybe I can squeeze in one more task', or 'I will take that on', where it is me being hard on myself, as well as full of demands and expectations, which the card also highlights as something to let go. 

Interestingly, I did an experiment today. I gave myself a 'day off'. This was not necessarily a day off from 'work', which I classify as those obligations and responsibilities which I give myself during the day as a point of discipline that I am developing, and also the self-work that is a 24 hour job, but a 'day off' from my mind, where I imposed no expectations or demands on myself for the entire day.

It was difficult at first, as I felt things would fall apart and I would fall behind, I felt some anxiety about not being 'productive', but I was able to let it go. What happened was that I got to spend a lot more time with other beings, be it human, nature or animals. I chatted a lot with my housemates, I spent time in nature, I went for a walk and a swim with a 4 year old, I played with dogs and spent time with the baby chickens and the horses. All day I felt light and un-burdened. The pressure would come up, but I would let it go.

Normally, in my life back in Canada, this type of spontaneous day would not be possible. But here, I allowed myself to indulge. To support myself, I brought through the experience I have while on vacation into my life here. That relaxed, easy, almost indulgent experience within the stand that I take of: "I am here to enjoy myself." I got this idea from a video I watched by Sunette Spies on her Self & Living channel, which I highly recommend for daily support and insights. The point here is to bring that of you that you live while on vacation into your life at home. This way,  you are not one person in one place, and another person in a different place, but rather getting to know yourself in different locations while expanding yourself by integrating all of you no matter where you happen to be.

The word the card gives me that was an experience I had not defined today within the experiment is 'receptive'. I allowed and engaged with whatever came my way. Normally when the child I live with comes to me wanting to play, I feel pressure like it is taking my time away, and I make designated play time, or impose a time limit. But today I just went with the flow and played. Then, at one point, I was collecting my empty bins from the chicken yard (chickens are free-range so the door is always open during the day), and as I was there, I took a moment to enjoy the detail of the view of the field. Right away I spotted a daiker (a small deer, Africans for 'diver', because that's what they look like they are doing when jumping through the tall grass). He looked right at me, and started walking towards me. My heart began beating with excitement, but I calmed myself a stood still, simply admiring the elegance and gracefulness in the movements of the animal. I was wondering how close he would get, and to my surprise, he walked right into the coop with me! The moment seemed to stretch out for an eternity, but with one movement of my head, he was gone. It was like a small gift from nature in a moment of  receptivity.

So the lessen I will take from today is 'receptivity', which comes from flowing with the day, with obligations and responsibilities, but no imposed demands or expectations. I will support myself to do this by bringing the remembrance of who an dhow I am while on vacation to remind myself that I am capable of being here to enjoy myself. It will be a process to balance the two polarities into a living application that is best for me, but the alternative is the stiff harshness I impose on myself when I do not direct my daily experience.

Note: I am walking a process of self-change using the tools of support offered by www.Desteni.org. I am taking the course called DIP Pro. In this course I learn how to take every day moments and find ways to make myself a better, more understanding and well rounded human being, the kind of human being I would like to see in this world. "Be the change you want to see" is a cool saying, but actually doing it is a bit more confusing because people tend to believe that you can't change human nature. I believe you can, because I have seen myself changing to someone I've always wanted to be. Not there yet, but my motivation is fueled by the proof I have given to myself, which I have documented online every sep of the way, in my blogs and on youtube. DIP Pro requires serious dedication and commitment, it is ot for the faint of heart. If you want to test the waters for yourself, try the Lite version, it's called DIP Lite, and the best part is, it's free! Why? Because Desteni puts individual self-change above profit. Why does DIP Pro cost money? Because it costs money to exist in this world, and takes a dedicated team to run the program. Otherwise it would also be free.
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Day 216 - My Stay at the Desteni Farm

My Stay at the Desteni Farm

            I can’t believe I’ve been at the farm for 17 days already! Time flies – which is a good reminder to make the most of each moment! This is a lesson I take seriously, especially as I settle in here at the farm. I thought it would be easy to adjust to the life-style and pace here, because when I visited two years ago, things were easy and comfortable. This time, however, knowing it was a more long-term stay, my body needed some time to settle in with regards to the climate, food, and then there's the need to structure my own time for myself. There are no schedules given to me here, no boss to keep me in line, and nobody looking over my shoulder to see what I am up to. Here, I must rely on self-honesty and self-movement. I want to make the most of my time here, and push the points that would have me do otherwise.

The Environment

            The environment here is amazing, unlike anything I have experienced at home in Canada. It seems like around every corner there is something new and exotic for me to see and understand.  Whether it be plants, animals, man-made structures or even people, everything is quite different due to climate, geography, political landscape, culture and economy. 

           The one thing that remains constant is the fact that no matter which environment we are born into, we all have the same basic need and the requirement for support. Here in South Africa, the consequences of lacking such basic support are more apparent. This is something to which I choose not to turn a blind eye – but rather to understand and penetrate so that I truly know what it looks like to live in lack, and so be able to place myself in the shoes of another.

            The living space here is at the same time incredible, and basic. I do not have the luxuries I get at home. This does not mean, however, that I feel deprived. Everything that is here is taken care of and used responsibly; items are recycled, repaired, and reused, daily tasks are managed well, and even the kitchen scraps are a valuable source of food for the chickens and other wild animals.  

       Within this, I can see the results of people taking self-responsibility, considering the group as one and equal (which includes the humans, the animals (both wild and domestic), as well as the physical environment), and treating the physical space here as an extension of themselves. 

I found it quite easy to let go of the luxuries I was used to and adjust to enjoying the simple things – the awesomness of nature, a hot bath (it is quite cold here at the moment, especially at night), unbelievable people, a hearty meal, a hot cup of tea, a fire at night, succulent fruit, fun and playful moments with animals and Caesar. Consumerism globally runs like a rampant disease in this world, and the amount of stuff we own that is one-time use or cheaply made is the source of a lot of problems, both environmental and on an internal level of what we are accepting and allowing. But here, life takes place within and as simplicity, yet every need or want I have expressed has been accommodated for wherever and however possible, and if not possible, alternatives are given.  Letting go of the apparent ‘luxuries has been like a breath of fresh air.

            The bedrooms here are clean and spacious, providing a place for everything including working on the computer. The importance of one’s personal space is understood and honoured, as we all need a place to rest, work, or just spend time alone if we want. Aside from the bedrooms, everything else is shared and communal, yet it never feels crowded – even at dinner time when everybody comes together to serve up a meal. Everyone pitches in and is busy with their own projects and responsibilities, all the work gets done, just like in nature, nothing is ever rushed.

I will continue in my next blog with: The People!

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